imaginative

adjective

i-'ma-jə-nə-tiv How to pronounce imaginative (audio)
Definition of imaginativenext
1
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things an imaginative child who is always writing short stories about her pet cat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in innovative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing found an imaginative gadget that can grind the beans and heat the water to brew coffee

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imaginative Icke uses his formidable talent for imaginative, dynamic, multimedia staging to manifest the act of surveillance — inherently secretive, out of sight — into something extremely tangible. — Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026 Then there were the more imaginative takes, like Salvador ‘Dolly’ and even a pair of sheep brought to life by Saltburn actor Archie Madekwe and Dorian Grinspan. — Simone Cook, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026 Hello, Honky Tonk is Kaitlin in her purest form, creating an imaginative world rooted in her own truths. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026 Kotelnicki also called an imaginative double-pass in which Marshall threw to backup quarterback Cole Ballard; Ballard lofted it back toward Marshall, who embarked on a deep sideline route. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for imaginative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imaginative
  1. inventive
  2. innovative
  3. creative
  4. clever
  5. talented
Adjective
  • The Moon’s square to inventive Uranus favors experimenting when the original approach hits a snag.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Upon its initial release, the album cemented My Chemical Romance's shift from mainstays of the emo scene to mainstream recognition, becoming one of the most inventive bands of the 21st century.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of inventive
Adjective
  • The framework enables full-time employees to spend one day a week exploring unconventional, innovative ideas.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Musk has many critics, but Marian Tupy, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, says non-conformists like Musk often lead innovative companies that help drive economic growth.
    — Frank Langfitt, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • No more than 15 minutes away in a taxi, the island’s main creative hub is home to La Seu Cathedral, buzzy street markets, bohemian boutiques, and easy tapas eateries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Danielle DeBoe Harper is the senior creative style manager at Moen.
    — Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of creative
Adjective
  • In a new Nature study, astronomers built clever software for the James Webb Space Telescope that makes this task less challenging, giving the observatory a better chance of spotting planets closer to their stars.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Its clever design has a few useful features to tackle all the possible challenges.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • Except Moe is nice, caring, and talented, while Matt is arrogant, unpleasant, and, at the beginning of the episode, belligerently drunk.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Casey and his talented team help shepherd television that shapes our culture, stands the test of time, and protects the originality of storytellers.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of talented

Browse Nearby Words

imagination
imaginative
imaginativeness
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Cite this Entry

“Imaginative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imaginative. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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